Straightener for deformed container flanges



Jan. 6, 1970 F. BSCHUCHARD 3,487,665

STRAIGHTENER FOR DEFORMED CONTAINER FLANGES Filed 001;. 5, 1967.

ENTOR.

FRANK B.$CHUCHARD v ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,487,665 STRAIGHTENER FOR DEFORMED CONTAINER FLANGES Frank Bernard Schuchard, Hampshire, 11]., assignor to The Borden Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 3, 1967., Ser. No. 672,612 Int. Cl. B21d 51/26 US. CI. 72-82 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to an apparatus for the removal of deformities in the flanges of a container comprising a die means having a prescribed shape, a forming means which coacts with the die to remove the deformities in the container flange and a retaining means operatively associated with the forming means to simultaneously engage the container during the forming operation and preserve the standard length of the latter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the manufacture of cans made of tin plate or similar sheet metal, a flange is generally provided on the end of the can body for securing the end or closure members in place by an interfolded joint to form a seal or the like. This flange on the can body is formed with a predetermined cross-sectional contour to properly fit with the can end member to be secured to the body.

During the manufacture and shipment of these cans, they are subjected to numerous transfer and occasionally during these transfers the flanges become dented or distorted. Such distortion or dents in the can flange can prevent proper seating of the flange against the end closure and hence when the closure is interfolded with the flange in sealing the can, a leaky seal may result and the can is thereby rendered useless.

Heretofore, various apparatus have been used to correct these dents and distortions so that the can can be reclaimed and used after the distortions have been removed. One of the examples of a prior method of removing these dents is the Peterson Patent No. 2,490,832, which suggests a hydraulic arrangement for hammering out the detents that occur in the can flanges. However, none have removed flange deformations so as to insure that the longitudinal dimension of the can remains unimpaired when the can is of a standard length. Consequently, presently available devices while removing distortions from the flanges of cans, fail to maintain the standard lengths of the can and this has resulted in the loss or wasting of many otherwise reclaimable cans.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides for the removal of dents and distortions in the flanges of cans and containers, while at the same time preserving the vital or crucial length of the standard can.

Briefly stated, the present invention comprises an apparatus which includes a die means having a prescribed contour or profile of the same design as an undistorted flange on a container and is adapted to receive such a container having a deformed flange, forming means adapted to coact with the die means so that the flange on the die is formed into its desired undeformed shape, and retaining means which are synchronized with the forming means to engage the container to insure preservation of the vital or standard length of the can at the same time as the forming means are coacting with the die means to straighten the flange.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The various features of the apparatus of this invenvention will become apparent from the following detailed description set forth in connection with the accompanying drawing which relates to the preferred embodiment of the present invention and is given by Way of illustration.

FIGURE 1 is an isometric perspective view of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top view partially broken away to show the mounting of the container in this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the preferred embodiment of the instant invention there is illustrated on the drawing a container or can 10 which has extending outwardly from one end thereof a flange 11. The flange is of primary interest in this invention because the distortions and detents inflicted or otherwise incurred on this flange must be removed so that the container end wall to be inserted adjacent to the flange to form one end of the can will form a seal which will be watertight or airtight and protect the contents which are to be placed in the can from exposure to the atmospheric conditions about the can. To this end, there is provided a distortion removing apparatus which consists of a rotatable die member 12 which is of a conventional cylindrical design and includes an outwardly projecting shoulder portion 13 shown extending from the main body portion of the rotating die member 12. The shape or configuration of the shoulder is the desired design of the flange 11 and is therefore the surface against which the flange is to be pressed to shape it out into its preferred form.

The die 12 is suitably mounted on armature or shaft 14 which is mounted in the driving means 15 of the instant invention which may be a conventional pneumatic, hydraulic or electric motor and which imparts rotary motion to the shaft 14 and in turn to the die member 12. It has been found that the desirable rotation speed of the die for good working conditions is some where between 30 to 60 revolutions per minute, although this speed is not critical to carry out the shaping of the flange operation of this invention. Spaced from the rotating die arrangement and lying in a plane substantially horizontal to the die member is a base member 16 on which is pivotally mounted a lever 17. The lever 17 is arranged in its pivotal form on mounting pin 18 and is secured there in a conventional manner. At one end of the lever 17 is a roller 19 which serves as a forming or pressing member and which is rotated against the flange 11 and presses the latter out against the shoulder 13 on the die 12. The free end of the lever 17 serves as a handle which is used to apply the force needed to effect the forming operation. Mounted on the end of the lever 17 adjacent the roller 19 is a rod or extension member 20 which projects outwardly from the lever 17 and mounts at one end thereof a second roller 23 which serves as the retaining means. The rod 20 is mounted on lever 17 by adjustable means 22 which may be a nut welded on the lever and the rod 20 is provided at that juncture with threads so that it may be adjusted longitudinally with respect to the said lever 17. Other suitable means may be provided to effect the longitudinal adjustment, but it is essential that the rod 20 be able to assume a number of positions with respect to the lever 17 so that the roller 23 which engages against the free end of the can 10 may be adapted to receive various standard lengths of cans.

The distance between roller 19 and roller 23 is made to conform to the length of the standard can which is to be operated upon and should be essentially that standard length. Note that the roller 23 is mounted on projecting portion 21 on member 20 so that both rollers are brought into substantially a similar plane and are variably spaced from one another depending on the can size. It should of course be understood that conventional force applying means such as hydraulic rams, motor driven screw jacks or the like may be provided to actuate lever 20 in lieu of the manual means suggested in this embodiment.

In operation the can with the flange 11 is telescoped over the rotatable die 12 with the distorted flange 11 being juxtaposed with respect to the shoulder 13 and the rod 20 is adjusted to accommodate the standard length of the can being operated upon. The lever 17 is then swung around so that roller 19 engages the distorted flange 11 and the second roller 23 engages the free end of the can and force is applied on the lever 17 so that the distortions in the flange are worked out and a constant force is simultaneously applied to the free end of the can to prevent vibration of the can with respect to the die 12. Accordingly, a vibration-free distortion-removing process is effected with preserves the standard length of the can. After the forming operation is completed the lever 17 is swung back to an inoperative position and the can is removed from the die 12 and sent on into the production line to be fitted with an end wall member.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be incorporated into the details of production without departing from the principles herein set forth. For example, automatic handling apparatus may be provided to adapt the invention for continuous processing of cans having distorted flanges. This apparatus includes mechanized means for automatically telescoping a container having a flange over the die, coordinating the operation of the lever to automatically swing into its operative position after the telescoping action has been eifected and carrying out the forming operation, and then being automatically retracted to its inoperative position, and means for ejecting the container from the die immediately upon completion of the forming operation and conveying it away for processing further along the production line.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for straightening container flanges comprising die means having a prescribed profile and adapted to receive a container having a flange, forming means adapted to coact with said die means whereby each flange on said can is formed into the shape defined by the die means, retaining means adapted to engage the opposite end of said container, adjustable means interconnecting said forming means and said retaining means whereby the distance therebetween may be varied to accommodate a standard length container, means mounting said interconnecting means for movement whereby said forming means engages said flange concurrently with said retaining means contact of the end of said can.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said forming means and said retaining means are rollers rotat ably mounted on said interconnecting means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the interconnecting means comprises a lever pivotally mounted to lie in substantially the same plane as the rotating die means and on which is carried the forming means, said lever having a member extending therefrom which carries the retaining means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said mem ber is mounted for longitudinal adjustment on said lever whereby the apparatus may be adapted to accommodate various lengths of containers.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the rotating die means comprises a cylindrical die over which the container is adapted to be telescoped and having a shoulder shaped to conform to the proper configuration of the container flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 257,255 5/1882 Van Hagen 7284 FOREIGN PATENTS 480,826 2/1952 Canada.

RICHARD J. HERBST, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

